CONTRIBUCIÓN AL CONOCIMIENTO DE LA FENOLOGÍA DEL CACTUS Neoraimondia arequipensis subsp. roseiflora (Werdermann & Backeberg) Ostolaza (Cactaceae) EN EL VALLE DEL RÍO CHILLÓN, LIMA-PERÚ.

A phenology study of the Neoraimondia arequipensis subsp. roseiflora cactus was conducted at Umarcata hills, located in the lower Chillon river basin, Lima, Peru. Fifteen fully grown plants were randomly selected and marked in order to evaluate their phenological status through the different seasons over a year period. Observations were registered monthly from October 2003 to September 2004. Correspondence analysis was used to hypotesize about the pattern sequence of the cactus plant phenophases. Results indicate that two well marked phenological variables are present: Flowering between November and April, and fructification from May to October. Phenology appears as an irregular event, with eight phases. The phenophase of flowering buttons (November) was present more frequently (59.44%) across the whole year; followed by inmature fruits (35.36%) in May and September; aborted buttons (32.78%) in December, February and March; mature fruit (27.78%) in August; dispersion and total flowering (12.78%) in July and April; dead flowers (10%) in January; initiating fruits (6.77%) in October and vegetative stage (8.33) in June. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]